Ninth worker death at Taiwan iPhone firm Foxconn

[GommeInc]

It's interesting they're saying that these deaths are not as severe as they appear to be (or suggesting it isn't), like the story of Yan Li's family claiming he died of exhaustion, and that it wasn't suicide or homicide, yet having 12 employees die so close to each other is incredibly bizarre. If anything, Foxconn need to have a deeper look at this issue :/ Is it just the Apple section, or the full company having these deaths?

[xxMATTGxx]

It's interesting they're saying that these deaths are not as severe as they appear to be (or suggesting it isn't), like the story of Yan Li's family claiming he died of exhaustion, and that it wasn't suicide or homicide, yet having 12 employees die so close to each other is incredibly bizarre. If anything, Foxconn need to have a deeper look at this issue :/ Is it just the Apple section, or the full company having these deaths?

According to the BBC:

"Steve Jobs: You go in this place and it's a factory but, my gosh, they've got restaurants and movie theatres and hospitals and swimming pools"

Although I think thats a lie to be honest.

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Apple boss Steve Jobs has defended conditions at a Taiwanese electronics manufacturer that produces the firm's popular iPhone, following a spate of suicides.

"Foxconn is not a sweatshop," he told a conference in the US.

Mr Jobs said that Apple representatives were working with Foxconn to find out why 10 workers had killed themselves at a factory in Shenzhen, China.

An eleventh worker recently died at another factory in northern China.

In total, there have been 13 suicides and suicide attempts at Foxconn factories this year.

"We're all over this," said Mr Jobs at the All Things Digital conference in California.

[GommeInc]

Pffft, as if they should listen to that He was probably looking over leaflets of a hotel somewhere in the US when someone first contacted him about it.

[MrPinkPanther]

If there was a string of suicides at a chip shop, would you question the farmer who grew the potatoes?

Thats the wrong analogy to use, the correct analogy would be if there was a string of suicides at the potato plant reportedly due to exhaustion then would you question the company who ordered those potatoes that they were producing? Of course I would. As far as I'm concerned a company has a responsibility over the welfare of its workers, whether they be direct or indirect.

I mean lets look at the extreme example. During the Second World War millions of people were forced to work in concentration camps for companies like Siemens and the vast majority of them of course died as a result of harsh treatment. By your prerogative Siemens holds no blame for this simply because these slave labour forces make products for numerous companies and they are only indirectly employed. Its a completely ludicrous statement to make.

Note: If Apple are raising their wages then thats fair enough but I am continuing this debate on the basis of the earlier argument.

[GommeInc]

Thats the wrong analogy to use, the correct analogy would be if there was a string of suicides at the potato plant reportedly due to exhaustion then would you question the company who ordered those potatoes that they were producing? Of course I would. As far as I'm concerned a company has a responsibility over the welfare of its workers, whether they be direct or indirect.

I mean lets look at the extreme example. During the Second World War millions of people were forced to work in concentration camps for companies like Siemens and the vast majority of them of course died as a result of harsh treatment. By your prerogative Siemens holds no blame for this simply because these slave labour forces make products for numerous companies and they are only indirectly employed. Its a completely ludicrous statement to make.

Note: If Apple are raising their wages then thats fair enough but I am continuing this debate on the basis of the earlier argument.

Primary concern is with Foxconn as it is their business and their employees. Apple, Dell and everyone else can only look from the side lines as it isn't their business, but a supplier and producer. They can threaten to take their business elsewhere to improve working standards, but they cannot intervene directly unless they have Foxconn's permission. This is most likely down to legal reasons incase Apple promise more of Foxconn when Foxconn has no more to give.

[xxMATTGxx]

Pffft, as if they should listen to that He was probably looking over leaflets of a hotel somewhere in the US when someone first contacted him about it.

Haha probably. I was like "Is this guy talking about Google? They normally have this sort of stuff"

[GommeInc]

Haha probably. I was like "Is this guy talking about Google? They normally have this sort of stuff"

All he needed to say was "... and slides" and it would be an accurate description of Google, yeah Maybe Jobs is planning to work at Google?

[xxMATTGxx]

All he needed to say was "... and slides" and it would be an accurate description of Google, yeah Maybe Jobs is planning to work at Google?

Dam it. That means no more freedom in the Android operating system! >:[ Although I do think he was talking about a different company.

[GommeInc]

If Google is as bonkers as their Headquarters, then he would be working in the McDonald's, so I wouldn't worry

[Misawa]

Well, I can't imagine working with 400,000 people in a single plant is too enjoyable.